Caed winched as he drew the long thin blade of the Sacrubus dagger across his palm, he needed the blood to evoke the spell to Scry and see coming events. A 7th level druid he alone had the gifted ability to Scry and see. Drip drip drip, as the third drop hit the water in the brass bowl that sat in the sacrificial marble slab in the stone circle, Caeds mind reeled. This feeling he knew well, but somehow there was a difference. Almost a taste as one tastes fear and death. In the shimmering blood tainted water he saw a figure emerge. Bloody Aussie!. Caed kept his emotions in check, years of scrying had developed strength and endurance of mind and body but, bloody Aussie was on his way, here. The image shifted and wained for a moment and then came back again, this time two other images replaced Aussies. A young man and wait...a girl. Caed's mind relaxed and the images dimed and vanished, the water in the bowl was steaming and the blood stained water has a tainted acrid smell like blood being cleaned from a blade. His gaize shifted to his hand, the one that had been cut so many times. Criss crossed with scar tissue it looked almost grotesque. Caed shook his head. Aussie, here! It has come to this, a chance, my chance to..........._________________Carpe Diem

Finally make things right as they should have been years ago before the change had come about due to one mans treachery.
A scream pierced the night outside and Caed ducked low and passed out from the cave where the sacrifical slab resided into the open grounds of the grove. He would have preferred to use the cave but tonights magic called for more...much more! Torches lit the outer reaches of the grove and mens faces lit up with an other worldly glow, their white robes giving them the appearance of the dead. All of them standing facing inwards toward the goings on, a low sonouros chant of a langauge many thought long dead calling the gods to bear witness to thtis great event.
A girl of no more than 16 summers was bound naked spread eagled upon a rough wooden altar, was being purified with ungents and oil mixed with naptha by one of the other druids, her face comely thought Caed despite the blood that constantly dripped like heavy rain from above down onto her, but it was a virgin was what was called for for tonights ritual and as quickly as the thought entered his head he dismissed it out of hand.
Reaching above her was a large wicker work figure of a man more than 20 paces tall, its legs straddling each side of the altar to which she was tied. The wickerman seemed to have a life of its own, the inside of its body never still, and a deep forboding moan emanating forth from it. Only on closer inspection could one see the framework stuffed full with the remnants of the girls village, the old, the women and children mostly, but some of the men folk as well. All had been bound hand and foot and had their tongues torn out buy daggers the same as Caeds the tongues going into a cauldron to boil and be used as food and in later riturals. , he too had been doing just that to the last of them before he went to fortell the future in the cave.
With what Caed had seen in the waters depths made him smile, it could not be a better time for this great working, things will be made right and hard lessons taught he thought.
He called a command. The other druids stopped their chant all Caed could now hear was the sobbing of the girl and the moan of the wickerman.
He gathered a torch and slowly walked inside the ring of men toward the bound girl, she alone of the village had been left whole. "Hush child" he said as he pulled the hood from his head "Hush" he smiled at her kindly and wiped some of the blood from her face. "All will be well, you are the chosen one, the blessed of arracht, im going to set you free" she relaxed a little, a look of hope upon her face "Oh thankyou, thankyou" she said as he replaced his hood and took a step back. "yes im going to set you free.... now!" Caed said as he threw the blazing torch onto the altar, the girls face going from a look of hope to one of immense pain as the flames quickly took hold to the oils and naptha covering her body. Blackening and blistering her skin, writhing hopelessly at the leather binds holding her to the now blazing atlar. Caed raised his hands and in the ancient tongue called for Arracht to come, the other druids following suit.
Though it was not long before their chants were drowned out by the gutteral tongueless screams of the wickerman, the flames of the altar having finally taken hold to its groin and legs in which were open barrels of pitch. The whole structure quickly became fully ablaze, though now moving violently with the kickings and thrashings of those trapped inside his body, the smell of burning flesh so thick in the air one could taste it.
"yes things will be right" said Caed to himself as he watched the wickerman burn, flames jutting double its length into the nights sky "things will be again as they should"_________________Veni Vidi Vici

Caed stood in the still of the night savouring the sweet smell of burning flesh and watching the burning embers of the wickerman slowly fade. "A lovely burning master" said Malgwyn, a lesser druid standing not far from Caed in the shadows of a great oak. "Leave us Malgwyn, your petty attempts at flattery sicken me" spat Caed. "Forgive me master" whimpered Malgwyn, I only!" "Oh for the love of St Daffyd away with you. Malgwyn slipped into the shadows at the forest edge but not far enough away to spy on Caed's every movement. Caed walked closer to where the remains of the Wickerman had burned, something had caught his eye in the last few moments, something shiney. He took out the Sacrubus dagger from under his robes and picked through the ash and bone. From the corner of Caeds eys he saw motion in the birch and brambles close to the edge of the clearing. With lightening reflex and precision the dagger shot from his palm and sped toward the greenry. The dagger peirced Malgwns left eye and sliced clear through into the frontal lobe of his brain. The act had caused Malgwyn to......._________________Carpe Diem

be thrown flat on his back, Caeds skills with a knife knew no bounds. Malgwyn was not dead, just rendered paralyzed, his pain receptors however and his tongue, both still in fine working order which was just as well for Caed had questions he wanted answered and time it seemed now, was short.
Spiriting away his find he brushed past the other druids shocked into silence and headed towards where Malgwyn lay prone.
As he came closer, ignoring the branches that scratched red welts across his face, he could hear his laboured breathing, "Yes Malgwyn, feel the pain, embrace it, for tonight its to be your lover" he hissed, as he crouched down beside him and without hesitation proceeded to pull out the blade. "There are quick ways to die and there are slow, yours my friend shall be slow, there is no escaping it, its just a matter of HOW slow" spittle mixed with Caeds rancid, rotting meat like breath, hitting the druid in the face as he spoke. "I, i had too they had my daught...." He stammered then drew short as Caed started to cut, slicing down the lenght of the limp arm, then with the skill of a hunter, peeling back the skin from the felsh, skinning it away in bloody folds. :I cannot she'll be killed, she will..." "You can! i am not interested in the whys Malgwyn" he said changing his art, cutting open his scrotum and removing his balls "I am interested in who!" taking off the rest of his manhood and holding it up in a blood soaked fist like a trophy to show him. Malgwyn now almost blinded by the pain started to sob. Caed quickly, manic, plunged the knife down into his thighs 1, 5 , twelve times the blade cutting right through the flesh and biting into bone and the damp ground under him. 'Who Malgwyn who?" "It was one of the English he was sent by.." Malgwyn stammered Caed froze at this, knowing instantly who was responsible. But how? how could he have known? surely not so soon? all his plans had been done in the utmost secerecey. Gathering his wits again he took the knife and slit open Malgwyns belly, taking care not to damage any of the organs, he pushed his hands deep into his bowels and spilled them out onto the ground, knowing death would take at least a full day, if experience proved him correct and the wolves and foxes didnt reach him for a feast first.
"Thankyou old friend" he smirked "i bid thee farewell", then turned away. Time is of the essence he thought as he hurried back to his dwelling, and there is no time to lose, and he had yet to properly examine his shining find........_________________Veni Vidi Vici

Caed sat on a low stool by the fire in his hut. He had eaten and washed Malgwyn's blood from his hands, changed his robe, splashed on some Eau de Murrh and slowly opened his hand containing the trinket. laying in his left palm was a small medallion, It was what was on that medallion that was so significant...........

Aussie was almost dribbling as the slow trot of the horse and firmness of Tilly's buttocks pressed hard against his loins. Stiff.... from hours in the saddle he gestured to Podge to halt the ride. "I must stop to relieve myself" my son. "Yes your grace" answered Podge. Podge noticed an urgency in the Popes voice but thought nothing of it. Aussie slid out of the saddle and hurried behind an elderberry shrubbery. Podge heard the russle of clothing and the grunt and flatulence of man desperate for the privy. Time passed, Podge feeling awkward peered through the screen to see what may have come to pass with his Grace..........._________________Carpe Diem

a monkey of the finest gold. He was spanking and hitting it as if trying to dislodge something from within it. Podge ducked low and watched quietly. "What is he up to" he wondered? Yet decided it best that he wait and see. A moment passed and Podge clearly saw a strange wrought silver frame, small; looking as though it once surrounded something of great value spill from the hole in the golden monkeys loins.
The pope, eyes darting left and right, to Podges amazement cast aside the precious monkey and once again, checking no one was observing him, gathered up his hem and stole through the thicket heading along an old and long unused path. Podge woried after Tilly but thought to himself "if i dont follow now ill surely lose him and ...._________________Veni Vidi Vici

that he did. Quickly, Podge darted into the brush and off after his Holiness. It wasn't long before he could hear the laboured breathing of his grace not far ahead. Podge hung back enough so as not to give away his station. The air was think as a heavy fog was rolling in across the moor. Perspiration and the smell of.....

damp earth, Podge followed at his distance until Aussie overcome by his hurried pace stopped to catch a breath on an old moss covered stump.
Podge watched from behind a blackberry bush as the man grasped about his robes to find what was so precious again.
Podge threw himself upon him snatching the trinket,
"A man of the cloth stealing from men and monkeys?
whats this we've got here?"
Aussie turned red with embarrasment and rage
"n n nothin its nothing for you t' be conserned with!"
Podge eyed the silver piece, a smooth decorated ring ornate on its top and just big enough to fit over his ....._________________The Idea Of War
Is Not To Die For Your Country....
But To Make The Other Bastard Die For His

Podge, had quite a good imagination but what service could this aid in adornment or pleasure. "Tiz mine child!" Aussie snatched it back. Not for the likes of you. This is far more that just a trinket boy. It has sealed the fate of many and pleasured too few at the hands of men and their minions. "What is that confounded noise boy?" exclaimed Aussie. Both had now been distracted by the sound of hooves closing in on the shrubbery and fog. "Where are you Podge?" Podge could hear Tilly's voice peeling through the gloom. "Quick boy" we must away before "it" is found. I cannot be found or fall into the hands of the enemy. "Enemey!" Podge exclaimed. "Its Tilly your Grace". "Keep your tongue you dolt!" or feel the wrath of a higher power" Aussie shot back sharply. "What do suggest we do?" Podge said in a somewhat bleek tone. "Come! sit close beside me my child, Aussie whispered in a condecending tone, under the cover of my robe, It has concealment properties. "I will sit but........_________________Carpe Diem